My Story

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Cindi has been a dear online friend of mine for quite some time now...we've shared stories of hope and of joy and of deep sadness. I did a small interview with Cindi here, last year.Her friendship and deep connection has been such a joy to me, and my home is filled with her lovely quilts and colorful quilted pillow creations that add brightness to my days...every day. I have found such comfort in her amazing work, so infused with the love for what she creates, that I can actually feel it.

windowpane quilt from vintage sheets

modern and vibrant baby girl quilt, or lap quilt

The vibrant color combinations are indicative of her vibrant spirit...and believe it or not, her mother, who is 84 years young also helps create things for her shop, called "Dreamy Vintage Sheets"

Here, a sweet friend models Cindi's mothers' Mommy and Me Aprons. She made these with pink roses fabric with pink and blue checked trim. What a sweet idea, don't you think?

Spring has Sprung Pillow (a ray of sunshine!)

Her passion is quilting, and she loves to use vintage sheets as the basis for her designs. Vintage sheets seem to has unsurpassed softness and amazing color combinations that inspire her...she also loves to use vintage bark cloth and vintage lace,which adds rich texture and color to her designs.

oriental design bark cloth pillow in her shop

bark cloth pillow at my home

(more of my collection)

Cindi believes in superior quality in her designs and it shows. My pillow covers hold up to wash after wash...tumble after tumble, and still arrive in the laundry basket looking like just received them.
Now, for those of you who are quilters and crafters, there are plenty of charm packs and fat quarters and vintage fabrics to choose from inher shop, from pumpkin spice to pink.

"spice cake" charm squares for quilting

pretty vintage sheet fat quarters

Lots of lovely things to look at at Dreamy Vintage Sheets on Etsy! I just wanted to share her amazing talents with you today. When I find something (and someone) I really love, I want to tell the world about it, ya know? I hope everyone has a great day, and I'll see you again soon.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

For years I've admired them. Lusted after their perfect antique patina, their intricate elegance...their antique button mystique. I've literally sat for hours sifting through sale boxes of buttons perfectly sewn to little white cards...and when a bit more money permitted, asked the sales person to open up the case...aaahhhh the glorious coveted Victorian button case, sprinkled with Art Nouveau button offerings of carved mother of pearl and Bakelite...in colors I've never seen and beautiful Victorian Picture buttons like tiny scenes from an even tinier world.

antique floral buttons earrings for the Etsy Shop

For years, I wondered about the owner of the booth and how she amassed such an extraordinary collection. Now she was someone I wanted to meet! It just so happened that Nancy (her name) was there during a recent visit, restocking buttons as I came around the corner on the way to leave. I greeted her like a long lost friend. "It's YOU." "I can't believe you're HERE." I introduced myself and shook her delicate hand. (Nancy is in her 80's.) Well, to make a long story a little shorter, I practically invited myself to her house...yes, i did! I proclaimed that I was not a serial killer, that I wrote things for magazines and did her children want my number so they could check me out first?

antique cut pewter button with Water Lily

some of my exquisite floral Victorian antique buttons

I called her the next day and we made a date. I could hardly wait to talk with her more. The older generation has so much to talk about...so many stories to tell...and I love to listen. I wondered to myself on the hour long drive to her home if I'd be fortunate enough to make it to 80. Would I still be "hip"? Would I be set in my ways...? Be the crazy cat lover lady that already lurks inside of me?
Nancy is lovely with bright blue eyes and straw colored, wavy hair. We sat together for hours and talked of buttons and life and children, and more about buttons. We commented excitedly on the superbly detailed buttons I brought for her to see...I found it so amazing that out of the thousands of buttons Nancy has, she brought her favorites out to me in a small, rectangular glass topped box! That was it. Just one little box. I was amazed that she could limit herself to just that one...well, that one, and thousands more behind glass at the antique mall in Coloma, Michigan! (but those are all for sale)

antique black glass button bracelet by Sacred Cake

I brought a few pieces of button jewelry for her to see and we had tea and the best zucchini bread ever known. I bid farewell before the darkness fell. And it was just beginning to snow. Years ago, I would have just seen her there and politely told her that I liked her buttons and left it at that...I've learned to be more outgoing, to try to connect more with the world when I'm out in it, because my work is so solitary... and I have been dearly rewarded for it. It is funny that I've finally found my life's work, which I so dearly love, and it is such a quiet and solitary thing. I was always "the loud kid"...the one who always got in trouble for "talking to her neighbor in class." It has become such a remarkable gift, this "talking to my neighbor." I find it so easy to relate to people...to make them feel at ease.
I hope you feel that way when you come here to visit. I really enjoy sharing with you here and I am so grateful for your presence.

more of my Victorian button stash

Nancy has convinced me that I need to put some of my buttons on cards to show them off...to not ever use them for jewelry, and so I shall when time permits. Until then, they'll live in an old mason jar on my table, where I pour them into my hands and choose just the right ones for bracelets and necklaces and earrings like these...

Thursday, February 02, 2012

I'm still a bit "under the weather", but I managed to get to the drawing finished today using a random number generator from Random.org. Each person was assigned a number beginning from the number one and the first person to donate...to the last name on the list and their numbers. I used the random number generator to pick the twelve assemblage earrings recipients and the gift certificate winner. I already have your address from your Paypal donation invoice, so unless your address is different, no need to do anything but wait for your little package in the mail!

And the recipients of the peridot assemblage earrings in memory of Kimberly are~

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

I am quite sick, so the drawing for the earrings will be delayed a bit...so sorry about that...
we make plans...
God makes other plans...
Meanwhile, why not visit my husbands lovely little blog and see what he's been creating?(click on the photo to visit)

About Me

I design and create jewelry and functional assemblage art pieces for a living. I love my job! I currently sell my work on Etsy.com under the name of Sacred Cake. I've been featured in several amazing magazine publications like Somerset Life, Belle Armoire Jewelry, Jewelry Affaire and Artful Blogging. I'm also featured in a bestselling book by my sister, Kelly Rae Roberts, called "Taking Flight". I am honored to share my words and my work in such a wonderful publication. I am now on the journey of writing a book of my very own!I consider myself a sort of philanthropist on a "shoestring budget"...and I am very prone to daily random acts of kindness, singing in the grocery store, and most importantly, making people laugh.